Explosive-engine.



No. 686,806. Patented Nov. I9, I90].

H. ENGE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed July 17, 1900.)

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No. 686,806. Patented Nov. l9, I901.

H. ENGE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed July 17I 1900,)

(No Model.) 3 Shoots-Sheet 2.

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l I l I I No. 686,806. Patented Nov. l9, 190i. H. ENGE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

pplicatiun filed July 17, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 SheeisSheet 3 4 21 W ,6 7 Xi;

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NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN ENGE, OF WEST BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

EXPLOSlVE-ENGINE.

SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,806, dated November 19, 1901.

Application filed July 17,1900- Serial No. 23,868. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN ENGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Berkeley, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented an Improvement in EX- plosive-Engines; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class having the general title of expl0- sive-engines, in which the body of explosive gas or other substances is admitted into a cylinder and afterward compressed and exploded therein.

My invention consists in the novel construction of two pistons movable in a single cylinder, means by which said pistons are so moved as to be separated on theinward stroke or toward the rear end of the cylinder, means by which a body of explosive fluid is admitted between the pistons during this movement, means by which the pistons again approach each other as they arrive at the rear end of the cylinder, means for allowing the body of explosive gas to pass from between the pistons to the rear end of the cylinder, so as to be in condition for ignition to propel the pistons toward the forward end of the cylinder, and means for opening an exhaust-passage to allow the escape of the products of combustion upon the second inward stroke, while at the same time a new charge of explosive fluid is taken between the pistons in readiness to be exploded at the proper instant, thus converting the engine into what is known as a twocycle engine.

My invention also comprises details of mechanism for operating the various parts and means for transforming the engine into what is known as a four-cycle engine when desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing a section of the cylinder and pistons. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the cylinder, showing the exhaust-valve chamber. 'Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the valve-actuating mechanism with means for converting it from a two to a four cycle engine, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the movements of the pistons and their connections.

In describing my engine I term that portion of the cylinder nearest the driven shaft and actuating mechanism the front and that portion which is most distant therefrom and into which the gas or explosive medium is compressed the rear.

A is the cylinder of my engine.

2 and 3 are two pistons fitting and reciprocating within the cylinder, one behind the other. The front piston is made in the shape of a deep cup and has a central hub 4, through which the rod 5 of the piston 3 is slidable, with suitable packing to form a tight joint where it passes through the hub. The connecting-rod 6 of the piston 2 has its outer end fitted to the crank-pin 7 upon the disk 8, so that through this connection power may be transmitted.

As shown in the present drawings, the cylinder is horizontal and the disk 8 is also horizontal, turning upon a vertical shaft, which carries a second disk 9and also a fly-wheel, as at 10. The shaft being vertical, these disks and the fl y-whee1 lie horizontally, which is my present construction; but I do not desire to limit my improvements to any special position, as it would be manifest that the device may be arranged in various ways without altering its action.

Inorder to transmit power to the engine, it may be taken directly from the shaft 11, or, as I have here shown, the disk 9 may be provided with holes,as at 12, which engage with the pins on a pinion 13, mounted upon the horizontally-jot]rnaled shaft 14, so that the rotation of the disk 9 will transmit motion to drive the shaft 14:. It will be manifest that gear-teeth may be substituted to engage with the teeth of the pinion 13. The connections being made in this or other satisfactory manner, it is necessary to provide means for operating the pistons 2 and 3, so that said pistons may be separated during their movement toward the rear of the cylinder for the purpose of allowing the rearmost piston 3 to draw a charge of gas into the space between the two pistons through a passage 15, provided with a valve-chamber at 16 and a valve which is opened and closed periodically, as will be hereinafter described, so that during the movement of the pistons toward the rear a suificient amount of gas is drawn into the space between the two, and as the pistons approach the rear end of the cylinder the rearmost one becomes approximately stationary and the other continues its movement until the two pistons lie close together.

17 is a puppet-valve which is fitted into a suitable chamber in the piston 3 and preferably designed to operate by gravitation; but it may be spring-pressed, if found desirable. This valve opens outwardly-that is, from the space between the two pistons to the space at the rearof the piston 3-and when the piston 3 arrives at the rear end of the cylinder it commences its return movement, and at the same time the piston 2 is rapidly approaching the piston 3 until they come together after the piston 3 has moved a short distance from the rear end of the cylinder. During this movement the gas which was contained between the two pistons is forced through the valve 17 and into the space which has been created at the rear of the piston by the small forward movement of the piston 3. Under these conditions the pistons are then close together, and the explosive gas is properly compressed and in condition for ignition.

This ignition is eifected by any of the usual or well-known means, such as stationary and movable points, (shown at 18 and 19,) which points are connected with positive and negative electrodes and a suitable electric generator, so that the making and breaking of contact of these points 18 and 19 will produce an electric spark sufficient to ignite an explosive charge in the chamber. This being no part of my present invention, it is only indi'cated and not further described. The explosion having taken place, the pistons will move as one toward the forward end of-the cylinder until this portionof the stroke has been completed, and the power thus developed will be applied to impel the parts with which the device is connected, as previously described.

In order to produce the various movements heretofore described, the rod 5 of the piston 3, which passes through the hub 4 of the piston 2, previously described, has its outer or front end connected with one end of a curved link 20, the opposite end of which is connected with one end of a swinging arm 21. The opposite end of this-arm is fulcrumed to some stationary point, as shown at 22. The rod 6 of the piston 2 is extended beyond the pin 7, and this extension is connected with one end of a link 23, the opposite end of which is pivoted, as shown at 24, to the movable end of the arm 21 and to the end of the curved arm 20, which connects with 21 at that point. The direction of rotation is as shown by the arrow, and the combined movements of the arms 20, 21, and 23 is such that when the piston 2 is at the front end of its stroke, as shown in Fig. 1, the piston 3 will have already been retarded, so as to be separated from the piston 2 and to allow a space between the two pistons with which the inletpassage 15 communicates. When by the revolution of the disk 8 the crank-pin 7 is advanced around the lower part of its travel, as here shown, the movement will pull upon the connecting-arm 23 and the junction 24 of the other two arms 20 and 21; but as the arm 21 has a stationary pivot at 22 the movement will pull the joint 24 toward the center, so that the point 24 will occupy the position shown at 24 and as the arms 21 and 23 are thereby separated, as if being moved toward a straight line with each other, the action will be to push the end of the curved arm 20 and the piston-rod 5 toward the rear at a greater speed than that traveled by the piston 2, and the piston 3 will thus be separated from the piston 2 by its greater rate of movement until it reaches the rear end of the cylinder. The pin 7 and the connecting-rod G continuing their movement the action will cause the piston 3 to commence moving toward the forward end of the cylinder while the piston 2 is still moving to the rear, and the result will be, as before described, to finally bring the pistons both together and to expel the explosive mixture from between the pistons through the valve at 17 and leave it in a compressed state behind the pistons ready for the explosion. The action of these parts will be as follows: The diagrammatic views, Figs. 5 and 6, illustrate four of the positions of theseparts. Starting from the position marked G, Fig. 1, both pistons will travel to the rear; but the piston 3 moves more rapidly than 2. When the crankpin arrives at B, Fig. 5, the piston 3 will have nearly completed its rearward stroke and have expelled the products of the previous explosion. At position 2, Fig. 5, the piston 2 will have nearly completed its stroke and piston 3 will have commenced its return stroke. At position D, Fig. 1, the pistons will have nearly met. At the dead-center the pistons come together and the gas has been expelled through valve 17 into the rear end of the cylinder. After the dead-center is passed the explosion takes place, and the two pistons are forced forward, as at E, Fig. 6. Just before reaching F, Fig. 6, the exhaust-valve is opened and the pistons separate, the piston 3 commencing to move to the rear, while the piston 2 continues to move forward until the pin 7 has crossed the dead-center at this end of the stroke, when the movements will be repeated.

In order to open the inlet and exhaust valves at the proper time, I have shown a lever-arm 25 extending across transversely, in the present case, near the forward end of the cylinder, and this arm has a branch 26, with a roller at the end of the branch, as at 27, which travels in a cam-groove 28, formed upon the disk 9. The lever-arm 25 is fulcrumed, as shown at 29, and the movement of the roll 27 in the cam-groove 28 during the revolution ICC of the parts causes this lever 25 to tilt about its fulcrum-point 29, and by its oscillations it operates the admission and exhaust valves.

The admission-valve contained in a chamber at 16 may be a puppet or other form of valve and is actuated by a lever 30, fulcrumed, as at 31, with one end connected to operate the valve and the other carrying an antifrictional roller at 32 in such position that the swinging arm of the lever 25 passes over the roller 32 and when it contacts with the roller depresses the latter to open the valve; but after it has passed the roller the latter is allowed to rise and the 'valve to close, these movements being so timed that the valve will be opened when the pistons begin to separate at the forward end of the stroke, remain open until the full separation has taken place, and be closed before the piston begins to approach to compress the gas.

The exhaust-valve 33 has a puppet-valve situated in a chamber 34, with which the rear end of the cylinder communicates through a passage 35, and from the space below the exhaust-valve the discharge-passage opens outwardly. The valve 33 is lifted by the action of a rocker-arm 37, mounted upon an oscillating shaft 38. This shaft has upon it a second rocker-arm 39, and this is actuated by a rod 40, the opposite end of which is connected with the oscillating lever 25, by the movement of which the shaft 38 is oscillated, and by the movement of the rocker-arm 37 the valve 33 is lifted, as follows: This rocker-arm 37 may be in the form of a clutch-lever, the end of which engages pins upon a ring 41, which ring is fixed to the tubular sleeve-like extension 42 of the valve 33. A second valve 43 is concentric with and fits a seat in the valve 33, and while the engine is being operated, as previously described, it always remains seated by gravitation as the exhaust from the engine-cylinder is forced outward through the passage 35 into the chamber 34, and thence through the discharge-passage 36 when the exhaust-valve 33 is opened, and its opening simply lifts the valve 43, which moves with it, but does not open this timeindependently. I

The engine under the conditions previously described is what is termed a two-=cycle engine-that is, an explosion of compressed vapor at the rear of the piston forces the piston forward,and the return of the pistons to the rear provides a new charge ready for an explosion when the pistons have thus returned, making two strokes or cycles, as it is termed, or a complete revolution of the shaft for each explosion and exhaust.

When the engine is designed to become what is known as a four-cycle enginethat is, when there is an explosion only at each fourth stroke or second complete revolution-the valve 43 becomes the inlet-valvo and the pistons 2 and 3 are locked to move in unison, the operating mechanism previously described being disengaged by removing a pin or bolt, so that the various arms 20 21 23 do not operate and thepistons remain locked together as one. Under these conditions the forward movement of this piston must draw in a charge of gas. The next rearward movement compresses the gas, which is exploded, and thus gives a forward impulse to the piston. The next return of the piston discharges the burned products, and the next forward movement draws in another charge, and so 011. Under these conditions it is necessary to admit the gas through the rear end of the cylinder, and this is the purpose of the valve 43. This valve 43 has a long tubular sleeve-like stem 44, which is freely slidable within the corresponding tubular sleeve 42 of the exhaust-valve 33, and a gas supply or inlet pipe is shown at 45, and its upper end enters the sleeve 44, which is slidable upon the upper end of the inlet-pipe and is close enough to make a sufiicientlytight joint, while working with perfect freedom. Around the upper part of the sleeve 44 and just beneath the valve 43 are passages 46, which allow gas to pass when the valve 43 is opened. The valve 43 will be opened to admit gas into the cylinder when the piston moves forward after an explosion and discharge and then acting as a pump opens the valve 43 by reason of the vacuum produced in the cylinder, and gas rushes in through the passages 45 and around the valve 43 until the cylinder is charged. The return of the piston, which compresses the gas, will of course close the valve 43, and 33 also remaining closed upon its seat will not prevent the gas being compressed. The explosion which then takes place also retains the valve closed while the piston is moving forward, and when it is again returning the valve 33 must be opened to allow the escape of the burned products. In its opening it lifts the valve 43, which remaining seated does not present any passage during this opening; but the products of combustion can escape around the valve 33, as in'the case of the two-cycle arrangement. This valve is opened by means of the same stem 40 which was previously described as serving to open it when acting as a two-cycle cylinder; but as it must not now be opened except at every fourth stroke I have shown the rod as connected by a pivoted link 47 with a roller 48, and this roller travels in a heart-shaped channel 49. The channel 49 is made in a block 50, to which the rod 51 is connected, which in this case transmits motion to the rocker-arm 39 and through that to the rocker-arm 37, which lifts the exhaus valve. The reciprocating movements of the arm 40 are transmitted through the link 47 to the roller 48, and this roller first moves down the lower side of the exterior passage or channel 49, following around the lower curvature until it arrives at the point of this heartshaped passage, as shown at 52. During this movement, which is of suflicient length, the block 50 and the rod 51 will not be moved. Consequently this is the position during which the gas is being compressed, the explosion takes place, the parts perform another complete movement, the rod 40 will return and the roller 48 will then travel in the upper part of the heart-shaped channel 49 The next forward movement of the piston, which takes place after the explosion, must be accompanied by an opening of the exhaust-valve to relieve the cylinder of the burned gases. The roller 48 then having arrived at a point in the upper part of the heart curve will by the next advance of the rod 40 be moved down inside of the inner boundary 53 of the channel, and when it reaches the lower end of the space or channel interior to the boundary 53 it will still have as much farther forward movement to make as would carry it to the point marked 52. Oonsequentlyin making this movement it acts through the block 50 and the rod 51 to move the rocker-arms, and thus open the valve 33. Upon the next return movement of the rod 40 the roller will then be drawn up on the inside and until it reaches the upper end of the heart-shaped groove, when it will drop into the lower channel 49, and the next advance will be, like the one first described, to the point 52 without actuating the exhaust-valve. In this manner by fixing the rod 4=O and the block 50 so that they move in unison the,

valve 33 will be opened at each return of the pistons to form atwo-cycle engine and when the parts are released, so that the action takes place through the link 47 and the cam-groove 49, the engine will become a four-cycle engine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination in a gas-engine of a cylinder having a combustion-chamber at one end and a charge-inlet between opposite ends, pistons movable in said cylinder, a crank at the other end of the cylinder, a rod connecting one of said pistons and said crank, and a lever mechanism whereby the other piston is moved in relation to the revolution of said crank in such manner as to separate the pistons during the rearward portion of the instroke to receive a charge of explosive gas,

. said pistons operating on the remainder of the stroke to expel the charge from the chamber between them into the end combustionchamber.

2. The combination in a gas-engine,of a cylinder having a combustion-chamber at one end and a charge-inlet between opposite ends, two pistons movable in the cylinder, a crankshaft at the other end of the cylinder, connections of said pistons with said shaft whereby the two pistons are moved independently and in the same direction, but at difierent rates of speed, to separate the pistons to form a receivingchamber between them during the rearward portion of the instroke, and said charge-inlet positioned to discharge into this receiving-chamber, and said pistons operating during the remainder of the instroke to expel the gas from the receiving-chamber into the end combustion-chamber.

3. The combination in an engine of two independently-movable pistons of approximately the same diameter and occupying different locations in the length of the cylinder, mechanism for positively operating both pistons in unison and by which said pistons are separated during the rearward portion of the stroke, a passage through which gas is admitted into the space between the adjacent sepa rated faces of the two pistons and a controlling-valve therefor, a valve and a passage through the rearmost piston through which the gas isexpelled from between the pistons and compressed into the rear end of the cylinder.

4:. The combination in an engine of two pistons, means for positively operating the pistons in unison and including a crank mechanism for one piston and a lever mechanism between the crank mechanism and the other piston, for operating the latter whereby the pistons are advanced from the front toward the rear end of the cylinder so as to form an increasing chamber between the two, a valvecontrolled inlet through which gas is admitted into this chamber, a valve located in the rear piston through which the gas is forced when the pistons again approach each other whereby the gas is expelled from between the pistons and compressed into the rear ends of the cylinder, and the pistons are brought together, an igniting device whereby the gas is exploded and caused to act upon the two pistons actingas one.

5. The combination in an engine of two pistons movable in a cylinder, means includ ing a crank mechanism for one piston and a lever mechanism between the crankmechanism and the other piston, for positively operating the latter and by which the rearmost piston moves toward the rear end at a greater rate of speed than the front piston whereby an increasing chamberis formed between thetwo,agas-inletvalve-controlled passage-delivering into the space between the adjacent separated faces of the two pistons, a valve opening through the rearmost piston through which gas is compressed into'the rear end of the cylinder as the pistons are brought together, an igniting device whereby the gas is exploded and the pistons forced to the front end of the cylinder, an exhaust-valve and mechanism whereby it is opened in unison with the rear movement of the pistons to allow the escape of products of combustion.

6. The combination in an engine of a cylinder, two pistons movable therein, a journaled shaft and crank-disk with which the forward piston is connected, a sleeve through which the rod of the rearmost piston passes, and levers connected and acting in unison with the movements of the crank whereby the rearmost piston is advanced toward the rear faster than the front piston, and whereby said pistons are again brought together pre- Vious to the ignition of the explosive charge within the cylinder.

7. The combination in an engine of a cylinder having two pistons movable therein, a crank-disk mounted upon a journal-shaft, a connecting-rod between the forward piston and the crank, a rod extending from the rear piston slidable through a sleeve in the forward piston, mechanism with which said rod is connected whereby the rear piston is caused to advance more rapidly than the forward one, a gas-inlet opening with controllingvalve, a lever mechanism actuated in unison with the rearward movements of the pistons whereby the valve is opened and the gas admitted to the gradually-increasing chamber between the pistons.

8. The combination in a gas-engine of acylinder having two pistons movable therein, a j ournal-shaf t and crank-disk carried thereby, a connecting-rod between the foremost piston and the crank, a sleeve or passage in the foremost piston through which the rod of the rearmost piston is slidable, lever connections with the crank and with the rearmost piston whereby the latter is advanced toward the rear to provide an increasing chamber between the two pistons, and means for admitting gas into said chamber and delivering it therefrom into the rear end of the cylinder, a fulcrumed lever, a cam-disk and connections whereby the lever is actuated with the revolutions of the disk, an inlet valve and passage delivering into the space between the pistons and an exhaust-valve opening from the rear of the cylinder, a mechanism intermediate between the oscillating lever and said valves whereby they are operated by the oscillations of the lever.

9. The combination in an engine of a cylinder having two pistons movable therein, a crank-disk mounted upon a journal-shaft with which crank the forward piston is connected, a sleeve in said piston through which the rod of the rearmost piston is slidable, lever connections with said piston-rod actuated in unison with the movements of the crank whereby the rearmost piston is caused to travel more rapidly than the front one to provide a chamber between the two, valve mechanism for admitting gas into said chamber, and delivering it thence into the rear end of the cylinder when the pistons approach each other, a fulcrumed lever and a cam revoluble in unison with the crank whereby said lever is oscillated, an exhaust-valve the chamber of which connects with the rear of the cylinder, a rock-shaft and rocker-arms through which the movement of the connecting-rod is communicated to open the valve periodically.

10. The combination in an engine of a cylinder, two pistons and mechanism whereby said pistons are moved at a variable rate of speed within the cylinder to first provide an increasing chamber between the pistons and afterward bring the pistons together at the rear of the cylinder, an inlet-valve-controlled passage opening into the space between the pistons to admit gas thereto, a. second valve by which the gas is compressed from said space into the rear of the cylinder, an igniting device whereby the gas is exploded to act upon the united pistons and force them to the front of a cylinder, a valve-chamber with passage connecting with the rear of the cylinder, an exhaust-valve located therein, an oscillating lever and connections whereby it is moved in unison with the movements of the pistons, a rock-shaft, rocker-arms, one of which is connected with the valve-stem and the other with the oscillating lever whereby the exhaust-valve is opened in unison with the rearmost movement of the pistons.

11. The combination in an engine of pistons with connecting-rod, inlet and exhaust passages, said pistons being of approximately the same diameter and occupying different locations in the length of the cylinder, an oscillating lever actuated in unison with the movements of the pistons, connections between said lever and a rock-shaft, connections between the rock-shaft and the exhaust-valve whereby the latter is periodically opened and a cam substantiallyas described interposed between the lever and the rock-shaft, aconnecting-rod from the rock-shaft and a link connected therewith and engaging the cam whereby the exhaust-valve is opened at every second revolution of the crank-shaft.

h In witness whereof I have hereunto set my and.

HERMAN EN GE.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, OHAs. E. TOWNSEND. 

